REJOICING AMONG ITALIANS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25449, 22 March 1948, Page 7

REJOICING AMONG ITALIANS

Reuter's cnrrespnndent in Trjeste says: Italian flags waged from balcenieg and crowds surged through the streets Singing patriotic Italian songs fitter the announcement that Brjtain, France, and the llnitefl btfites favoured giving back Trieste to Italy." In Turin the Italian Foreign Minister (Count Sforza) said that no other statement caqlfl have moved Italy so deeply. The Hight Wing Home newspaper, “Giorpple d’lfalta" said: “Ifaliaps Pfin never sufficiently appreciate this gesture."

The Prague radio declared that the Western Powers’ decision to hand Trieste back to Italy was intended to violate one of the Italian Peace Treat's most important articles. It was a provocation, intended to give a pretext for landing troops in Italy before the Italian election. The Belgrade radio announced the Proposal briefly tor the first time in its late night news broadcast on Saturn day. »

The disposal of Trieste wap one of the most bitterly-fought issues in’ the Italian. Peace Treaty. Both Jugoslavia and Italy claimed the area. Thp Western Powers contended that such facts as historipal and ptjmjpaj assqpiatipps made it an Italian area. Jugoslavia argued similarly it should belong to her, Russia supported Jugoslavia. Finally, the compromise solution of a Free Territory was agreed upon. The only chance it had to work was thqt the Western Powfers and Russia should compose their differences so thqt they would be able tp agree op iuch relatively minor issues as the

selection of a Governor. Failing agreement between East and West, Trieste, as southern gnchqr *lf the dividing line between ijig Com-munist-contrbned lands apd tpp erp European nations, has np future except to be constantly fought Qvgr. Britain apd the United egph with 50QO troop?, occupy the nptthern gone of Trieste. Jugoslavia, with the same nuinher qf troops, occupies the Southern zone.